Instead of offering people more bad advice via Cliché-anity, let’s turn to offer them the whole truth, being fully honest so that we can always lead them toward the good news of Christianity. Let’s refrain from using clichés in our conversations with others. Let’s put “Christ” back into Christ-ianity. This is news that you’ll always find everywhere in the Bible.

“Cliché-anity” is when short sayings or clichés substitute for real theology and deep thinking. It happens like this: Christians get used to hearing a catchy phrase that may have at the time been helpful, but then uncritically adopt it longer than we should. (And in some cases, we adopt it when we shouldn’t.)  

What was once a helpful saying becomes enormously unhelpful. And when that happens, the cliché’s start to do theology for us instead of letting the Bible take our every thought captive. That’s when Cliché –anity happens. Clichés take the “Christ” out of Christ-ianity.

So here are five of the most annoying clichés you’ll never find in the Bible. We should replace each of these with biblical wisdom instead.

1. “God never gives you more than you can handle.”

This is one of those phrases people reach for in difficult times so I can understand why it’s said. Trying to comfort a hurting friend, we say “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” But is that true biblically?  

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, the apostle Paul shares openly:  

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.

Whatever circumstances he faced had pushed him over the edge. Paul was beyond his own resources. It was bigger than he could handle.  

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